Door-operating mechanism.



H. ROWNTREE. DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.21,1907.

11116111911 Aug. .29, 1911.

50 .Fig. 2, showing the valve on its center posi- HARCLD ROWNTREE, OF CHICAGO, IIiLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

' NATIONAL PNEUMATIC COMPANY, A CORPQRATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

- DOOR-OPERATING- MECHANISM.

Patented Aug. 29, 1911.

Tooll whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, HAROLD ROWNTREE, a

' citizen ofthe United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have" made a certain new and useful Invention in Door-Operating Mechanism, of, which the following "is a specification.

This invention relates to door operating mechanism. a

The object of the invention is to provide a door operating mechanism which is simple in'construction and eiiicient in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for operating doors, wherein the movements of the door follow the movements of a control device or lever, the position of the door corresponding with the position of the control lever.

A further object of the invention is to provide a door operatingmotor and a controller therefor, said controller adapted to be operated by a control lever or other device to start the motor, thereby initiating the movement of the. door, and means operated by the movement ofthe door for operating the motor controller, whereby when the door reaches a position corresponding to the position to which the control lever has been moved, said door will be automatically arrested.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafteii.

4 The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter. set forth,as shown in the accompanying drawings'and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, and to the various views and reference signs appearing thereon, Figure 1. is a view in elevation showing a door operating mechanism embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a view, somewhat diagrammatic, showing'a motor control apparatus well adapted for use in connection with my invention, said apparatus, in. this [i instance, being in the form of a pressure controlling, valve, said valve belng 1n w1de open position.v Fig; 3, is a view similar to tion. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the valve on cushion position.

maintain etficient control of the door and of the movements thereof. Itis also important and desirable to eificiently cushion the movements of the door, whether such door is moved the full extent of its travel or not.

It is among the special purposes of the present invention to provlde means whereby these objects and purposes are attained in a niost simple and efficient manner, and in carrying out my invention 1- provide a control device for the door operating motor and connections for operating the control device manually to inaugurate the movements of the door and I also provide connections operated by the movements of the door for automatically operating the motor control device so as to arrest the movement of the door when the latter attains a position corresponding to the positon to which the controller was manually operated. I also propose to employ in connection with my invention a controldevice of such'construction and arrangement as to effect automatically a cushioning of the door as it approaches the limit of its movement as de-.

struction and arrangement which I have found well adapted for the purposes, and the best form in which I at present contemplate carrying my' invention into practical eil'ect and operation my invention is by no means to be limited or restricted to the particular construction shown and to be described.

In the drawing reference sign 5, designates a suitable operating motor, in'this in-. [stance a motor cylinder, adapted( to receive a motive fluid, such, for instance, as compressed air. A control apparatus, in this instance a valve device 6, controls the motor, that is,in the particular construction shown, controls the supply and exhaust of the motive power to and from each end of the cylinder. A cross head orother moving part 7, is operated by the motor, and the movements of this cross head or mem- 5 her 7 effect the operation of the door. Any suitable construction and arrangement of door operating mechanism may be employed. I have shown a simple and efiicient construction wherein a rack 8, is connected 10 to move with the crosshead 7, and meshes with and rotatively moves a segment gear 9, to which is connected an operating arm 10, having a sliding or other suitable connection as at 11 with a door 12. It is to be i 15 understood, however, that my invention contemplates and includes any other suitable or convenient construction or arrangement of door-operating devices, and therefore I am not to be limited or restricted in this re ard.

ivotally connected at one end to the cross-head or movable member 7, is a lever 13, having connection, at a point adjacent its other end, through a link, rod or other suitable connecting device 14:, with the motor control device- 6, in this instance, with an arm 15, attached to the motor control valve, whereby, whn said lever 13, is rocked, the motor control device is operated, Reference numeral 16, designates a handle, lever or other manual controlling device, 3 connected in any convenient way as through ,connections 17, or otherwise, to theend of lever13 adjacent the point of connection of link 14, to said lever, ,whereby by manipulating the control handle or lever 16, the motor control device 6 is operated. I will now describe the"operation of the apparatus so far describedd.

shown in full lines and the door is in closed position. Now suppose the device 16is moved towardtheright om such position. "Thereupon,'through' the connections 17, the lever 13, is .rocked'to the left from the position thereof, shown, said lever rocking about ..its point of pivotal connection to .the crosshead 7, as a fulcrum. The rocking move ment of this lever 13, effects a corresponding movement of the motor controller 6 thereby starting up the motor and hence operating to move thecross-head toward the right and, through its connections with. the door 12, inaugurating a movement of such door. The movement of the cross-head 7, however carries the fulcrum of the lever 13, -as above noted, with it, that is, through the resulting movement of the cross-head toward the right, the lever 13 is again rocked, this time toward the right, its point of pivotalconnection to the part 17, serving as a fulcrum, and hence the motor controller 6' is again operated, this time automatically throughthe movement of the door operat- 5 ing mechanism and in adirection opposite Suppose the parts are in the positionto that in which it was operated by the manual device 16. Inother words, when the manual device operates the motor control valve from its cut-01f or central'position as shown in Fig. 3 to a wide open po sition, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby inaugurating the movement of the motor and hence, also,- of the door operating mechanism, the automatic operation of the valve in the opposite direction by the movement imparted by the motor, as before explained,

which it was operatedmanually, and to a corresponding extent, thereby causing an arrest of the movement of the door in a position corresponding exactly with the position to which the manual device or com troller 16, had been 0 erated. Consequently the movements 0 the door follow the movement of the control lever 16, not

only in direction but also in extent, the movement of the lever causing an inauguration of the movement of the door, and such movement operating means for causing an ion automatic arrest ofthe door in position corresponding to that to which the control lever hasbeen moved.

In Figs. 2, 3 and 4, I have indicated an arrangement of motor control valve which I have found eflicient for use in connect-ion with my invention but which I not claim, per 86, here1n,s1nce such 'valve is ot, in the specific construction thereof, of my invenition, and hence is claimed herein only in combination with otherelements. Inthese views of thedrawing 18 designates the pressure supply port, 19,20, exhaust ports,

and 21, 22, the ports for supplying the pressure mediumto'the respective ends of the motor cylinder. The valve 23, controls these ports. This valve is formed with a passage 24, in the operatin face thereof' which, however, is not of su cient distance to span the space between the ports 21, 22. This passage is formed with enlar .ed chambers 25, 26, at the ends thereof sai enlarged chambersbeing connected by a narrowed 'portion of the passage as shown. Preferably a, plurality of ports are employed. Two of such ports are shown, the one 19, being of large area, and the other 20, of small or restricted area. Theseorts are so relatively arranged that all 0 them are uncovered when an enlarged chamber 25, 26, of the valve passage'24, is brought thereover, that is, when the valve is shifted or movedto either limit of its stroke or movement, one of such limits being shown -in Fig. 2. .In this position the supply port is 0 ened to one end or the other of the-cylin er while the opposite end of the cylinder is opened freely to exhaust through all the exhaust ports 19, 20. This is the wide open position of the valve. Now if the valve is shifted sufliciently far to cause the larger exhaust port 19, to be closed, then the exhaust can continue only through the port 20 of limited or restricted area, see Fig. 4, thereby causing a cushioning or slowing down of the mechanism operated by the motor until the motor, and hence, also, the mechanism operated thereby is finally arrested by the movement of the valve into centered or cut-off position, see Fig. 3. It will be observed that the ex- I haust port 20, of limited or restricted area is always in communication with the valve passage '24,. while the exhaust port of large area is opened only when the valve is actuated to one or the other limitsof its movement.

Now, referring to the mechanismabove described for operatin V the motor controller,

. first manually, and t en automatically in the opposite direction .by the motor or other devices set in motion by manual operation of the controller, it will be seen that when f the motor controller is moved manually into owide open position in either direction from means and in a direction as determined byits closed or centered position, for instance,

from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 2, the motor starts up, thereby operating the door moving the direction in which the controller has been operated. Thereupon the operation of the door moving means eifects a movement of the motor controlling valve in the opp'o site direction, or into the position shown in Fig. 4, thereby first cutting off the large exhaust port 19, which reduces the speed of the door moving means, and then cuts off the port 21, therebycentering the valve see Fig. 3, and arresting the movement of the door, bringing the same to rest easily and without slam. It will also be observed that this operation takes place whenever the valve is moved from centered position was to open either port .21 or 22 to the supply of pressure medium, and the extent of movement of the valve, and hence of the door, .will be dependent upon the extent to whichthe manual device.16 is moved.

My invention is well adapted to the opera- .tion of doors, gates, or other closures or'obstructions, and by the use of the term door I desire to include any form of such device to be operated. It will also be noted that my invention is not limited to the operation of sliding doors but is equally well adapted for use with pivoted hinged or other form of invention is not limited with respect to the construction of motor, control mechanism therefor or door operating means as these may vary widely in the specific details of construction and arrangement thereof. But

Having now set forth the object and nature of my invention and a construction embodying the principles thereof, and having described such construction, its purpose, function and mode of operation, what I. claim as new and useful and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a door operating mechanism, a motor, a valve chamber having ports respectively communicating with a source of pressure supply and with opposite sides of the motor, and also having an exhaust open in a valve for controlling said ports, saidva ve having a recess in the operating face thereof to constantly register with .a portion of the exhaust opening, said recess being of such length as to embrace the full exhaust opening and a'motor port when shifted from centered position, sald valve when in centeredposition operating to cut ofi pressure supply to the motor, manually operated devices for shifting the valve in either direction'from centered position to uncover all the exhaust opening and to open one side or the other of the motor to pressure supply to start the motor, means operated by the motor to return the valve toward centered position to arrestthe motor in position corresponding to the position to which the manual devices are operated, said valve having means to. reduce the area of exhaust opening in advance of reducing the pressure supply area, as the motor approaches the limit of its movement as determined by the position of the manual devices, and door operating devices actuated bythe motor. 'V

2. In a door operating mechanism, a

pressure operated motor, door moving devices actuated thereby, a control handle, means operated by saidhandle for controlling the supply and exhaust of pressure medium to and from the motor, means to cause the motor, to follow, in direction and extent of operation, .the movements of the control handle, and means for restricting the exhaust of operating medium from the' nio-tor, without affecting the supply thereto, as the motor approaches the final limit of its operation to whatever extent it may be I operated.

3-. In a door operating mechanism, a pressure operated motor, door moving devices actuated thereby, manually operated devices for controlling the initial movement of the motor, mechanism operatedby the motor, when once put in operation, for automaticall arresting the same in position correspon ing to the position to which the manual devices are operated, and means for restricting the exhaust of power medium,

limit of its operation, without affecting the supply of operating medium to the motor.

5. In adoor operating mechanism, a pressure operated motor, door moving devices actuated thereby, a controller for controlling the supply and exhaust of operating medium to and from said motor, said,

controller, when in centered osition operating to cut off pressure supp y without closing the exhaust, means for operating the controller to various positions from its centered position to supply full pressure to the motor on one side and to open the other side to full exhaust to start the motor, and means operated by the motor for actuating the controller in reverse direction to restrict the exhaust of pressure medium from the motor without affecting the pressure supply, as the motor approaches the limit of its action, as determined by the position to which the controller is operated to start the motor.

I 6. In a door operating mechanism, a pressure operated motor, a Valve, pressure supply andexhaust connections to and from the motor arranged to be controlled by the valve, said valve when in'centered position operating to close the ressure supply connection to the motor but not the exhaust manually; operated devices for moving the valve to various positions from its centered position, in each ofwhich the motor is opened to full pressure supply on one side and to full exhaust on the other to start the motor, means operated by the motor when once started up for reversely shifting the valve into cut off position to arrest the motor in position corresponding to that to which the manually operated devices have beenactuated, said valve, operating to restrict the exhaust opening without substancontrolling the supply and exhaust of operating medium to and from the motor, an operating handle for the controller adapted to be set to various positions, devices operated by the motor and connected to the controller to 'move the same in reverse direction to that in which it is moved by said handle, and to corresponding extent, to out off the pressure medium from and to arrest the motor in position corresponding to the position to which the handle is operated, said controller operating to restrict the exhaust of pressure medium before the supply pressure 1s-restricted, as it approa'ches 1ts cut off position, and door moving devlees operated by the motor. v

8. In a door operating mechamsm, a

ressure operated motor having a valve casing with pressure supply and exhaust'connections to and from t controlling the motor, said-valve, when in centered position operating to ,close the ressure supply connections to the motor e motor, a'valve for ut not the exhaust therefrom, a 'control handle for shifting the valve to various positions from its centered position, corresponding in extent to that to which the con-,

trol handle is moved, said valve operating when shifted from its centered osition to any substantial extent to open fu pressure supply to the motor, means operated by the motor for returning thevalve to itscentered position to arrest the motor in position corresponding to that to which the control handle is shifted, the valve operatingto restrict the exhaust from the cylinder before I: it commences to cut off the pressure supply,

as it approaches its centered position from whatever .point itmay be returned to centered posit-ion, and door moving devices ac tuated by the motor.

Intestimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the subscribing witnesses, on this 10th day of September A. D., 1907.

HAROLD ROWNTBEE- Witnesses:

' FRANK JoHNsoN, L. M. SHIELDS. 

